Latest News from Chris Bishop

National Police spokesperson Chris Bishop says there are big risks in the major shake-up to firearms administration released to Arms Officers yesterday and leaked to National.

The Police are proposing:

All firearms activity and personnel will be managed by, and report to the Arms Act Service Delivery Group;

That firearms administration tasks will be moved away from districts and towards central management;

To establish a new national Service Centre, based in Kapiti, to manage end-to-end firearms administration; and

Disestablishing hundreds of field-based arms officer and firearms licensing vettors; replacing them with a far fewer number of new positions at lower pay-scales.

“Some of the changes look sensible in principle, including moving some administration from the districts and the new national service centre. However, the firearms community will be rightly worried about the massive loss of institutional expertise through the disestablishment of arms officers and licensing vetting officers.

“Only six weeks has been allowed for consultation which is a pitiful amount of time given the large changes proposed.

“Many arms officers have been doing this very important work for years and have built up decades of expertise and knowledge. They’re one of the reasons New Zealand’s firearms administration is regarded as one of the best in the world.

“This looks like cost-cutting driven by a Police Minister who can’t get new money needed for firearms administration through the Cabinet. Instead of putting more money into the system and working on sensible changes; the Minister has driven the Police to propose a major shake-up with big risks to New Zealand’s excellent system.

“The proposal released by the Police yesterday wasn’t consulted on with the sector and has come totally out of the blue. I’ve received many calls already from people concerned about what the changes mean. Police Minister Stuart Nash must front-up and explain these changes to the firearms community and the New Zealand public.”

National MP Chris Bishop is welcoming the news that 92 people obtained full compensation for donating live organs last year, under the first full year of the Compensation for Live Organ Donors Act being in force.

“It is fantastic that the implementation of my Member’s Bill, the Compensation for Live Organ Donors Act has seen a 500 per cent increase in organ donors receiving compensation from the year before.

“Since 5 December 2017, live organ donors in New Zealand have been able to claim compensation of 100 per cent of their loss of earnings while they recuperate from their surgery. Live organ donors are heroes, and now the law treats them so.

“Previously, live organ donors were only entitled to assistance through Work and Income, compensated at the same rate as the sickness benefit.

“In 2013 just 12 people obtained compensation through Work and Income for being a live organ donor, even though there were 61 live transplants.

“I’m delighted that in 2018, 92 people have obtained full compensation through the Ministry of Health thanks to the new Act.

“The new system is much better and much fairer. This law is making a big difference to people around New Zealand. Live organ donors are national heroes, who selflessly sacrifice a part of their body to help someone else.

“In time, I believe the increased compensation will help encourage more people to come forward to reduce our organ waiting list. The Act removes a big barrier that used to prevent people donating – the financial sacrifice from weeks off work while earning very little.”

“By convention, the media choose not to report the names of police officers involved in shootings that lead to the death of a member of the public. However, it is not against the law.

“For many years the Police Association has been worried about officers’ names being revealed.

“When involved in a fatal incident police officers are often worried whether their name will become public. It is an incredibly traumatic and stressful time for any officer, amplified by the concern that their name will become public. This is particularly so in smaller communities.

“The Bill provides that nobody may name, or provide the address, or other identifying details of any police officer involved or suspected to be involved in death as a result of the use of a firearm by a police officer acting in the execution of their duty.

“The Bill also provides an exemption to this restriction upon application to the Chief Coroner, which could be used if the information is in the public interest.

“If the name of a police officer involved in a fatal incident is published - but following the court processes and independent conduct investigations the officer is found not to be at fault, the officer’s name will have already been put in the public domain.

“This may have long-ranging impacts on the officer’s future which, particularly in the case of being cleared of any wrongdoing, could impact their employability, their public standing, and their wellbeing.

“This is a common sense change which I hope will gain widespread support.”

A new Member’s Bill will clarify the law around BYO alcohol areas at race meetings and allow families and communities to carry on the tradition of chilly bin and a hamper at the races, MP for Hutt South Chris Bishop says.

“Race meetings are important community events around New Zealand. They’re usually run by volunteer committees. Clubs obtain a special licence (or hold an on-licence) for a designated area and allow the rest of the course to be available for bring-your-own alcohol consumption.

“In recent years Police have been opposing liquor licences. Many regional racing clubs lack the infrastructure to offer hospitality services and there is a long and fine tradition of allowing patrons to bring their own food and drink to the course on race days.

“A glass of wine or beer in the sun with some chips and dip is a Kiwi tradition. Some race meets have allowed BYO for more than 135-years. We understand that Police want to address the harm caused by alcohol but they should concentrate on areas where there is actually a problem and not family-friendly events.

“My Bill makes it clear that racing clubs and race meetings are not the intended targets of section 235 of the Sale and Supply of Liquor Act. The Bill provides an exemption from section 235 for racing clubs on the days of race meetings when the club holds either an on-licence or an on-site special licence that applies to the race meeting.

“Earlier in the year Racing Minister Winston Peters attacked ‘bureaucratic shiny bums’ who were interfering in BYO alcohol at race meetings. The Minister commissioned a report (after I had asked him written questions about his comments) and my Bill reflects the report of the NZ Racing Board to their Minister.

“This is a common sense change to the law that will essentially allow the status quo at community run race meets to continue.”

“Yesterday’s damning IPCA report into Mr Haumaha found that he belittled and humiliated staff, aggressively asserted his authority, and inappropriately approached staff to support him after allegations were made. It also shows that he circulated information which would discredit a complainant which was improper.

“Do Shane Jones and his Leader Winston Peters accept the findings against Mr Haumaha, or do they still think he has a ‘completely clean bill of health?’ Do they agree with the Prime Minister that he has behaved inappropriately?

“Mr Haumaha’s ties to NZ First have also been repeatedly glossed over by the Government. His candidacy for NZ First in Rotorua in 2005 was never disclosed to the Cabinet, and NZ First Leader Winston Peters has never adequately explained how he came to be at Waiteti Marae during the middle of the election campaign in 2017 to celebrate Mr Haumaha’s promotion to Assistant Commissioner.

“His statement to Parliament that he was invited by the Government and Police National Headquarters was revealed to be a nonsense by material released by the Police under the Official Information Act. He was invited by the Marae itself and likely Mr Haumaha.

“NZ First needs to put on the record today whether it continues to support someone who was found to have behaved so badly in one of the country’s top positions of power.”

The Independent Police Conduct investigation into Wally Haumaha is extremely troubling and raises serious questions about how and why the Government appointed Mr Haumaha in the first place, National’s Police Spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“The report, which is on the IPCA website, found that Wally Haumaha belittled and humiliated staff and inappropriately approached staff to support him after allegations were made. It also shows that he circulated information which would discredit a complainant.

“The report also shows that he loudly and aggressively asserted authority and while entering into an argument in front of other staff he put his leg on the chair immediately in front of a team member which was inappropriate, unprofessional and intimidating.

“The appointment by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of Wally Haumaha as Deputy Police Commissioner has been a debacle from the start. Mr Haumaha was not the preferred candidate of the State Services Commission selection panel, but was appointed by the Prime Minister anyway.

“Soon after his appointment, Mr Haumaha came under fire for alleged comments made about Police at the centre of the Operation Austin inquiry, notably that allegations against them were ‘nonsense’ and that the officers ‘have to stick together.’

The Government Inquiry into his appointment had to be re-started after the appointment of Pauline Kingi by Tracey Martin, who had endorsed Mr Haumaha 23 times on LinkedIn.

“Mr Haumaha’s ties to NZ First have also been repeatedly glossed over by the Government. His candidacy for NZ First in Rotorua in 2005 was never disclosed to the Cabinet, and NZ First Leader Winston Peters has never adequately explained how he came to be at Waiteti Marae during the middle of the election campaign in 2017 to celebrate Mr Haumaha’s promotion to Assistant Commissioner.

“His statement to Parliament that he was invited by the Government and Police National Headquarters was revealed to be a nonsense by material released by the Police under the Official Information Act – he was invited by the Marae itself and likely Mr Haumaha.

“The record shows that Mr Haumaha has close ties to NZ First. NZ First Deputy Leader Fletcher Tabuteau is related to Mr Haumaha and was mentioned in his maiden speech, and Mr Tabuteau’s uncle and close friend of Winston Peters, Tommy Gear, is a senior leader of the marae chaired by Mr Haumaha.

“The Prime Minister has had multiple opportunities to act, after repeated concerns raised by National but has failed to do so. Wally Haumaha’s position as the country’s second highest ranking cop is now untenable”.

New Zealanders will be less safe because of the Labour-led Government’s decision to scrap plans to upgrade 20 regional police stations to 24/7 coverage, National’s Police spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

“In 2017 National released a $503 million Safer Communities package which included a target of 95 per cent of New Zealanders living within 25km of a 24/7 police base.

“Police have now confirmed that this target has officially been dropped, and as a result, police stations due to be upgraded to 24/7 coverage won’t be.

“It’s taken months to get this information out of the Government, but I can confirm that the following communities which were all expecting 24/7 coverage are going to be disappointed: Alexandra, Balclutha, Helensville, rural Southland, rural Tasman, Wanaka and Wellsford.

“A further ten stations are only being upgraded to ‘24/Demand’ status, which isn’t 24/7 at all. Instead it’s the status quo, and a fancy way of trying to pretend that stations will be upgraded when they aren’t going to be. These stations are Wairoa, Rolleston, Taumarunui, Te Kuiti, Thames, Dannevirke/Waipukurau, Dargaville, Stratford, Motueka, and Marton.

“This Government claims it’s building ‘safer and more connected communities.’ How can communities feel connected to the Police if they aren’t on duty?

“Stuart Nash talked a big game in Opposition about station closures, and regional policing. Now he’s in Government, he’s overseeing the cancellation of plans to upgrade stations.”

A State Services Commission investigation into how the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Corrections responded to complaints made by three women against Wally Haumaha is welcomed, National’s spokesperson for Police Chris Bishop says.

“I wrote to State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes twice requesting he open this inquiry because there is a clear public interest in getting to the bottom of this very concerning matter.

“The Ministry of Justice, Department of Corrections and Police are totally at odds over fundamental questions to do with the complaints which were made by the women while working on a joint project with Police. Each agency seems to have a different view about how to characterise the complaints and what was done about them.

“The public must have confidence that issues to do with workplace bullying will be dealt with appropriately. Most importantly they must have confidence that agencies will work together, not against each other, in dealing with complaints like these. On the face of it, the public cannot have that confidence, and an inquiry is therefore vital

"The issue of how the bullying complaints were dealt with has not been satisfactorily resolved by the Scholtens Inquiry and I welcome the SSC looking into the matter.

“This is now the third inquiry underway into the appointment of Wally Haumaha as Deputy Commissioner of Police. The Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation into the complaints is due to report back soon.”

The Government’s coalition promise that it would recruit an additional 1800 sworn frontline police over the next three years is already way behind schedule, says National’s Police spokesperson Chris Bishop says.

Answers to written questions reveal that since 1 November 2017, the week after the government was sworn in, until 1 November 2018, the government has only added 329 net new police to the force.

“Mr Nash is trying to spin that the starting point should be 30 June 2017, which is when National was in Government. This conveniently inflates his numbers.

“Unfortunately for him, he told Parliament he would count the new 1800 from the date the Government took office, and no amount of subsequent spin and trying to count cops recruited under National can change that.

“At this rate Mr Nash will take six years, not three, to add 1800 new police – yet another broken coalition government promise

“The Minister is trying to backpedal now, saying it’s ‘an aspirational target’, so even he knows he’s not going to make it.

“The Labour-led Government needs to admit that it’s going to fall woefully short of its target.”

“Police have a target to answer 90 per cent of 111 calls within 10 seconds. In its annual report, Police reported answering 79 per cent of calls within 10 seconds, down from 84 per cent the previous year.

“This is a vital service and it’s important that Police response times are tracking up and not down.

“It would be more understandable if there had been a large increase in calls to the emergency centre, but that’s not the case.

“The National Government announced in February 2017 that we would introduce a Single Non-Emergency Number to take pressure off the 111 centre. We were on track to have that in place now but this Government has pushed that deadline back until next year.

“The Police also have a target of 83 per cent public satisfaction for response time for incidents and emergencies but only 69 per cent were satisfied with the speed of the Police response.

“The Government claims that it’s prioritising Police and yet it’s behind on recruiting its promised 1,800 new sworn police officers and standards are slipping.

“Police Minister Stuart Nash needs to show better leadership and ensure that the additional funding for Police is being spent wisely so public safety is improved.”